2 Chronicles 33:1-13 ▼

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.

2 He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the nations whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4 He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, |My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.|

5 He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

6 He also made his children to pass through the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums, and spiritists: he worked much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

7 He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in God's house, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, |In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever:

8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses.|

9 Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel did.

10 The LORD spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed.

11 Therefore the LORD brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 When he was in distress, he begged the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

13 He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his petition, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.